Congratulations! You’ve added a new dog to your family. Whether or not this is your first dog, remember that this is an adjustment period for your dog. Being tuned in to how your dog is feeling and what they need will help them get acclimated to your home. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Allow time for them to decompress
When a dog leaves the shelter, they need time to decompress and release the anxiety attached to shelter life. To help your transition into the comfort of your home:
- Wait at least 72 hours before allowing anyone new into your home
- Keep your dog separate from your other animals at first
- Prioritize exercise and mentally enriching activities such as providing your dog a puzzle or work-to-eat toy such as a toppl or snuffle mat
- Avoid overstimulation and try to keep everyone in your house as calm as possible when interacting with your dog
- Create a relaxing environment by playing soft music. Consider a natural stress reducer like a DAP wall diffuser plugin; you can place it close to where your dog spends the most amount of time.
Create a predictable schedule
Most dogs love a routine—especially in a new environment—and creating one for your dog will help them settle. Some easy ways to implement a routine are:
- Feeding/walking your dog around the same time each day
- Taking the same walking route
- Carving out specific time in the day for dog training
Introduction to house training
House training is important because, well, the fewer accidents the better. Remember these core principles when starting to house-train:
- Minimize opportunities for mistakes. To do this, consider tethering, crating, penning or carrying your dog.
- Learn to spot when a pee or poop is about to happen and take them outside immediately. For instance, most dogs have a series of things they do before peeing or pooping; by learning to notice these behaviors, you can up your chances of getting your dog to the “go” spot at the perfect moment. A few signs include: spinning a few times or sniffing more than normal before going.
- Refrain from scolding. Why? Because it’s ill-advised to do anything that might cause your dog to be fearful and there is no way to be sure that your dog will make the right association. For instance, they may think going in front of you is the wrong thing to do, or that a specific room should be avoided.
- Reward a pee or poop with something high-value like a treat or toy. Make sure to give it to them after they go, not while they’re going — you don’t want to distract them!
- Take note of environmental cues. Everything your dog perceives before and prior to going becomes part of their notion of what a “bathroom” is. So if you have the choice, bring them back to that spot, or some place similar, to encourage them to go again next time.